Chris Cushion, a professor with expertise in coaching and pedagogy, discusses his work on scenario-based training in law enforcement and the Teaching Games for Understanding model. He elaborates on his role in developing a new, scenario-driven curriculum for the UK’s College of Policing, designed to replace isolated skills training with immersive, real-world scenarios. This curriculum has taken years to develop and emphasizes learning through experience, presenting officers with situations that integrate legal, ethical, and tactical knowledge at critical moments. In this model, officers are trained through repeated exposure to realistic scenarios, allowing them to apply decision-making skills dynamically as they acquire necessary knowledge and techniques.
An evaluation by the College of Policing shows the curriculum’s positive impact, revealing fewer public complaints, injuries, and use-of-force incidents among officers trained in this approach. Cushion highlights the program’s focus on decision-making to foster adaptability, aiming to improve judgment over simple task performance. He also explains the influence of the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) model on the curriculum, which encourages tactical awareness and skill-building through interactive, scenario-based learning.
Through real-life examples, Cushion describes how scenario-based training adjusts to the needs of the learner by pausing to teach specific skills as needed, contrasting it with traditional, repetitive drills. The conversation touches on the historical roots of conventional training methods and the academic debates surrounding skill acquisition, noting that realistic scenarios require both cognitive awareness and situational understanding.
Cushion also explains the program for training police trainers. This five-day course immerses them in complex scenarios to practice delivering this new training style. Going forward, the aim is to enhance trainer expertise and develop additional resources, with the curriculum set to be fully implemented across England and Wales by 2025. Cushion closes by discussing plans to create a practical guidebook on scenario-based training, offering insights and resources for educators and trainers in similar fields.
Topics
Introduction of Chris Cushion
College of Policing and Curriculum Development
Differences from Traditional Training
Training Structure and Approach
Real-Life Impact and Evaluation
Decision-Making and Learning Focus
Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) Foundation
Application of Scenario-based Learning
Philosophical and Historical Background
Cognitive and Skill Acquisition Debates
Program Structure for Police Trainers
Long-term Goals and Further Development
Conclusion and Future Directions
Video
Audio
Extra